In the Deep
by Treesh Aradia
Summary: “At least if he had physical attraction going for him, maybe he wouldn’t feel so emasculated now. What with her stomping all over his 'alleged' docile character.”
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: In the Deep

**Author**: Treesh Aradia  
**Rating**: PT  
**Disclaimer**: Not mine  
**Summary**: '_But freewill is freewill, and you can refuse the cards you are dealt. You can throw the cards back and fold.' _

**spoilers**: Where we are at. Just to be safe.

_Sometimes things happen for a reason. And you can't help but roll with the punches. Deal; Take the cards and make the best-five combination._

Lois She's standing there, readings in her hand, head bent and perusing. Showing a quiet no one ever knew she had, unlike the boisterous hellion in tweed. Now it's all slow motion and silences…even when she looks up, and straight into a familiar figure, very much like the boy she ever felt was worth a dozen cajoling. There isn't even the constant tattoo of heartbeat. Her heart has just stopped. 

Clark He takes a deep breath. Today was a beginning. _His_ beginning. He reluctantly hears his own subconscious berating him for the superfluous melodrama, but he can't quite help it, it was too much…The busy bustle of the world and more so the amplified one in the Planet leaves him short of breathless. He hears a change, a dearth and catches the sight of someone he was expecting and yet not. 

_But freewill is freewill, and you can refuse the cards you are dealt. You can throw the cards back and fold. _

They turn away and leave for their own corner. Too awkward to approach, too proud to initiate anything.

One: Station (025 Station)

He never made it in time. Merely watched as the train left. He could have caught up. Could have, but didn't. He wasn't in it. He doubted he had a heart left to be in it. She told him to run like his arse was on fire, and if he were a few months younger, a little less none the wiser, he would have. _Immediately_.

But something has changed. A shift has tilted the axis of his universe, and in the glory of the present moment, in a very atypical fashion… he dawdles. Instead finding himself more interested in what other euphemisms she would use.

He has since surpassed the theory of demonic possession and denial. He was man enough to realise, he actually liked her. Forgone notions of multiple ways to kill her have made way to cunning schemes to get her to stay. He needed a friend and she was it.

So, as she explained why he needed to get cracking, he dawdled. As if throwing retorts and being a devil's advocate really interested him. Well to an extent, logical conclusion arriving, it did. Only… not for what would seem obvious. He played for the opposing counsel now. Lana was not worth running for.

"But she needs time Lois. I am giving it to her."

He quells the smirk as he looked on at Lois' eye roll.

"Oh now you behave like a rational non-angst non-juvenile. What happened to clingy whiny Clarkie? NOW's the time to go after her! Clark I am telling you, she's serious this time. No more games, no more puppy love and make up smooches. She is that angry at you!"

She glares at his benign smile. "Snap out of it Clark! She is leaving you."

He shrugs. Feeling no need to reiterate the numerous times he has tried with Lana. How is it that the time he finally grows up, finally takes out his training wheels, Lois is pushing him to the floor, begging him to crawl. "I know she is. And if we're really destined to be, she'll come back."

He never anticipates her face falling. Or that she would see herself in Lana. That somehow, his inaction towards Lana is a failure on her part. That _she_ isn't good enough to have him run. That she would remember Oliver and all the other men in her life, and decide that she was not good enough.

"You're just like them Clark. Where's the Clark who was in love with her, who would do anything for her? Does she mean so little? Are you that inconsistent?"

He feels like he got hit by a baseball way out of left field. Whoa.

"Whoa, what are we talking about right now? Cause somehow, I don't think the words Lana and Clark are involved anymore."

He sees her shake her head, and turn away…ever so slightly. "I need you to get her back. I need to believe that there's hope for the rest of us, despite my cynicism Clark…you and Lana…you and Lana are it."

Like the fate of her happiness depended on his getting to the station on time.

And just like that, he runs.

Only it's too late. And Lana was headed to wherever she was headed. She mentioned France.

"Oh god, you're too late Clark." He sees her, standing a little off the side of the platform, taking him in, the prostrate position he was in, exhaustion mistaken for heartbreak. "I am so sorry." And just like that, she moves to hug him. Like the hugs he gave her, after Arthur, after Oliver… and he realises, it was nice to have a friend, it was nice to be the one being held... And he never questions that it wasn't her heart that started beating just a little faster.

Two: Dream (046 Dream)

It was as if she were dreaming. And she hasn't woken up for the last five months. It was as if she knew he was too. He would never ever have done that otherwise. Or said that. Never would have even suggested skinny dipping, and then mentioning that infamous red bikini as a compromise. Never should have remembered said bikini, being too preoccupied with someone whose name sounded like the last two syllables of Gwen Stefani's fruit.

Never but apparently does.

Maybe they were both dreaming about some bizarre world where they were Lois and Clark, but less of the bite and more with the well, maybe more bite, just different. Like Spike and Buffy, or Spike and the Buffybot. Why was she even bringing up a WB TV show anyway?

Maybe it was demonic possession. She was just too out of it to realize. She should start going back to church. Maybe it was God's way to tell her she needs to do penance. Maybe, but she doubted it. 'Cause here she was, at the lake. At three a.m.

With a bruise from the pinch she just gave herself.

Not a dream. And since she wasn't exactly doing the 360 head turn ala Exorcist, she wasn't possessed either.

"Come on Lois!"

"Hold your horses Kent. I remember saying I didn't mind a dip in the lake, but only if you wore that Batman suit you said you kept at the back of your closet!!!!"

He smirks at her and vaguely she hears him say, amidst her musings, she should get closer, otherwise she would miss the Batman mimicry he was going to do with his non-existent utility belt.

Lois pinches herself again.

Three: Flame (038)

He stumbles back, hands shielding his face.

"Your powers are not stable, you need to get help John!"

He looks to his left, where Chloe remains standing, in shock.

The conflagration at the side of the high school garnering most of her attention.

"I can't you idiot. I don't have anywhere to go back to!" With that, the man called John releases from his hand, albeit unintentionally, another burst of fire, this time directing it away from any physical object and into the sky. A loud hiss emitted amidst the crackling of burning brick and wood.

"There is this league that can help you, you just need to calm yourself down!" Clark uses this moment, where John attempts to think what he has just said through, to move closer.

"They mutant? Cause I have had enough double crossing, goody goody mutant shitheads!"

Before Clark could even answer he hears the sound of running feet. "Johnny! Oh thank god. You need to go back."

He sees the sneer on the man's face, the refusal so plainly written. "Where's the ice prick?"

The girl, whom at first glance looks slightly young and innocent, too innocent to retaliate someone of John's calibre, scowls. "Up yours Johnny. Come on." She turns to Clark, looking sheepish "I'm sorry about the building." With that, she grabs hold of John's flame emitting hand and pushes him toward what Clark now sees as a giant black…thing with wings.

"No problem, you take care of him, oh and make sure you fly right past the corn fields and please try not to burn down them down!!" Clark manages to get out before they got into their mode of transport. Cropping was a hassle, what with uni and all.

"Huh, what was that about?" Chloe, finally ridding herself of the stupor she was in, mumbles.

He shrugs.

"I mean that must be his old flame or something right?"

Clark looks dumbfounded at her. You would think the flame emitting fingers were more interesting than the fact that the girl with the white streaks could probably be the flamethrower's ex-girlfriend. Well, it was Smallville afterall.

"Speaking of old flames and erm, new flames…coughLanacoughlois"cough" Chloe takes one look at the death glare and figures, she were safer away from her friend. "Nevermind. I need a drink, if that idiot didn't burn the Talon down yet. Catch you later Clark, remember to read Lana's email!"

"What email!!!"


	2. 4 Elope

Four: Elope (044)

"Truth or dare?"

"Are you serious?"

She rolls her eyes and contorts her lips to one side, eyebrow arched, all at the same time. They were stuck in a stupid lecture hall because Clark was too inept to stand watch and had some way or other enabled the emergency locks. What's worse, here he was, questioning her and possibly mocking her, for trying to entertain them.

"Chloe, do I look like Krusty the Clown? Or kidding in the least? Cause if I actually do, please kill me."

Both her friends had their eyes toward the ceiling.

Sighing, she moves to stand, "fine then, what do you suggest oh wise one? Heads up though, what counts as entertaining does not include talking about Lana and how she's left you."

She watches the wince on both cousin and boy's face. Ok maybe she was a bit harsh there.

"That's not fair Lois, I haven't been talking about her at all since she up and left. In fact, I have been rather tolerant and oh yes, foolish enough to go along with your harebrained attempts at journalism!"

Ok, he had a point. Lois was surprised at the lack of Lana convos and Lana angst. But there was no way in hell she was going to take the other snipe lying down. "Harebrained? Harebrained?! This coming from the guy who thought he could dress up as the Green Arrow and not fool me! And excuse me…YOU let us get locked in!"

He gasped, "What? If I may recall Ms. Lane, I think reality has it that you _didn't_ realise it was me at all! And I can't help it if I don't want to ruin my uni's locks."

"Guys, guys!! Please, we have till morning before the doors open. I really don't want to be here dealing with the Lois and Clark verbal muay thai match right now." Chloe was finally forced to stand between the two duellists, hand stretched to create room, trying to dispel the obvious sudden tension. "Ok, so I pick truth."

"Lois, did you hear me? I pick truth."

"Yeah, I did" By this time, they were all somewhat calmed and were able sit down. "Ok, if you had to make out with one of the cast of Grey's Anatomy, who would it be? Now choose carefully, there are plenty of hotties and only one chance."

"Oh, definitely Mc Dreamy."

Clark, still unfortunately present and wishing he were brain dead as the girls talked about some show and the eye candy, started daydreaming. Until he heard Lois share her own opinions.

"I'd go for Karev, or maybe Mc Steamy. Good guys are so passé. Look at Clark, he's all bleurgh."

"Hey! I can be steamy! I mean, Mc Hottie, or whatever." Clark found the need to defend his manhood and honour. Especially against the likes of Lois Lane and her equally bad cousin, who were both rolling about the seats laughing. "

"Sure you can Clark, as much as I can be Meredith Grey, or Chloe Yang!"

Apparently Chloe didn't find it funny. "You don't think I can bust balls like Yang?"

Lois shuts up instantly and Clark feels the need to savour the moment she, Lois Lane, is dumbfounded.

"Well, no I mean, what I actually really meant was" dawdling for excuse? "that you don't go sleeping around with your boss. Yeah, remember Yang? With the old ex brain surgeon, and then Burke?" Grasping straws was not a good look on Lois.

Clark tries to muffle his giggles with his hand, earning him a sneer from her.

"Pft, so like you Lo, you're not the only one who can be all, you know arse kicker. I can so too kick arse! And you know what, Clark can be Mc Steamy. I mean, he nearly eloped with what's her name!"

"Yeah, only cause he was doused with some drug right?"

"But the potential is there! For steaminess."

"Riiiight. Ok, so Clark, when you ever find your McSteamy calling, feel free to elope with me."

Clark, although quasi miffed at Lois blatant disregard for his manhood and ego, however was partially glad that she gave him that privilege - as fellow eloper.

Lois however, wished she could take back what she said as she catches his eye. She still has those bruises on her arms from last week's lake fiasco.

Chloe merely smiles.


	3. 5 Quit 6 Rivalry

Five: Quit (023)

_It's like a ticking time bomb. Tick and then tock. Maybe another tick, and then…boom. Chaos. Life is like that. Or maybe it's not. Maybe it really is just linear, and full of predictable ups and downs, that your highs and lows are just there…waiting to be solved, waiting to be gotten over. But times like this - when your body just reels off course, your whole perspective changes and this present awkwardness, this present scary tension – it feels like it's waiting for something. The big boom._

"Lois, I can explain."

"No Clark, I don't think you can. I really hope you are just here to visit Chloe, but something tells me that Perry's acting weird lately, isn't hoohoo mojo. You're the newbie aren't you?"

"Ok, yeah, that's the explanation. But this is not intentional. It is, but only 'cause the Planet is the best. I am not here to…"

"Quit. Just quit Clark while you're ahead."

"I haven't even started Lois."

She looks at him pointedly. Now that everything is back to normal speed, with Lois melding with the steady sync of the workspace, she can see out of the corner of her eye, a small crowd gathered. Bloody vultures the lot! True, Nina from the gossip department should be rather blood thirsty given what she does for a living, but this is her life! "Clark, you started a few years back. Only you didn't finish, did you? So here I am telling you again: QUIT. You know what, QUIT _IT_! You're only going to complicate things. That's you by the way. The complicate-_tor_!"

He wishes Chloe were here, to mediate. But he would like to have a conversation with her, that didn't always end with Chloe acting as referee. He remembered those few fleeting ones way back when, but given what transpired he doubted that would be a real possibility anytime soon.

"So, are you going to quit?"

"What? NO!"

He can't decide whether he misses her trait or is irritated with it "You know one day, you are going to get stuck with that."

She rolled her eyes again.

_And when it finally explodes, the world will know, and there is no turning back._

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Six: Rivalry (065)

He wants to know all about her. Her mannerisms, the little quirks, what goes on in her brain whenever her lips go into that sly smile. He wants to know what she thought of him, the first word she had in her mind when they were in the corn field…with him sans memory, and well, sans clothes.

He hoped she liked him then. At least if he had physical attraction going for him, maybe he wouldn't feel so emasculated now. What with her stomping all over his _alleged_ docile character.

However, at this present moment in time, he wanted to know what she thought of Lana leaving.

"You know, Lana mentioned coming back in her mail." He dropped in as he watches her cream possessed villagers on the playstation.

"Yeah? Well that's great right?"

He rolls his eyes. _No Lois, its not. She is your rival for my heart, jeez_. He sighs.

"Ok, what now? I haven't heard that type of mopey Clark sigh in eons! Ok weeks at least…damn it!" She cusses slightly as her agent Leon Kennedy gets 'bruised' by paperbag man with big scary chainsaw. Deciding that whatever was on Clark's mind was not going to go away, since _he_ was not going away and was in fact still looking at her expectantly, she placed the controller on the floor of her apartment and turned toward the couch, where a mopey Clark was presently seated.

"Tell me, get your catharsis and then come help me run away from leatherface."

Clark grinned widely, like a child getting twenty minutes at a free for all at Toys'R'us. "Ok, yeah I guess it is. But what do you think?"

Lois stared shrewdly at him. "If you are happy with her coming back, then I am. A happy Clark is a happy Lois. Why do you ask anyway?"

_BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE YOU and I want to know if you will get jealous_. "Because you never seemed to be onboard the Lana train."

"Huh? I've always been…cordial. Nice and polite. Look, does it matter?"

"I knew it!"

"Knew what?"

"Uh, that you don't really like her."

Frowning at him, she started to correct him "No, I said I was cordial. How is cordial translated as not liking her? And well, I do like her just fine, doesn't mean I have to be really friendly with her."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"She is your rival?" did I say that aloud?

"_Excuse_ me?"


End file.
